- Darren from The Overtones
Darren, what first got you into music and singing? My cousin, actually. She always used to listen to a lot of soul and RnB stuff, so I started listening to songs that she listened to, then started listening to other music and vocal groups like Temptation, BoysIIMen and *NSYNC.
How did you meet the other guys in the group? We all met in London, the music scene at open mic nights auditions. We saw each other and got chatting and realised we had something in common, so we said let’s form a group and give it a shot. Six years later we got the record deal.
What would you say was the best thing about being in a band rather than a solo artist? To work with your four best mates every day is a dream come true. To wake up every day knowing this is our job is an amazing feeling.
What are your views on reality TV shows like The X Factor? If you hadn’t got a record deal, would you have entered as a band? Yeah possibly, I think it’s good. As long as you know what you are getting yourself into. I’m really proud of the way it’s happened for us, being together for six and a half years and working really hard on the music scene and finally getting our deal. I wouldn’t change that, but if people want to give it a go (X Factor) I think it’s a great avenue.
Would you say you appeal to an older audience or is it mixed? It’s really mixed, sometimes our gigs get 13 or 14 year olds in the front row, screaming and crying, and next to them they have got their mum and their mum’s mum. So literally it’s from 8 to 80 year olds, so it’s great. We’re really proud of our fan base.
Is there any artist or band that you would like to collaborate with most? I think at the minute I’d like to collaborate with Adele because she’s just amazing. And someone people wouldn’t expect like Tinie Tempah – that could be a good collaboration where we could do some really nice vocals and he could rap. It could work well together!
Who inspires you to go for the retro style of music? Acts like Cee Lo Green, Plan B, Amy Winehouse as well as The Temptations, The Drifters, Boys II Men, Aretha Franklin.
And who is your favourite artist at the moment? I’d probably say at the moment I’m into a lot of Bruno Mars stuff. I really like his vibe and he’s got a bit of swagger.
You all dress really smart. Are there any days where you just wear joggers and hoodies? I don’t want to spoil the illusion but right now I’m wearing jeans, trainers and a beanie hat. When I get a day off, I do like to wear a pair of trainers. But we’re really into our fashion and we like styling ourselves, and having a bit of fun with our bow ties and purple socks!
Do you think that’s part of the appeal? I think so yeah, because we are doing retro music and back in the days the ladies would make a big deal of getting dressed up and going out. I think guys should have more fun with their clothes and we promote that.
You’ve got a platinum edition of the album out now. What’s next? Are there any more albums in the pipeline? Yeah, in the New Year, end of January beginning of February, I think we are going to start working on the second album. It’s going to be a really busy year. We are going international as well, releasing all over Europe. We are going to Australia and Asia, so we’ve got to do that as well as record a new album and we’ve got a new tour next year.
Is there an ultimate goal that you want to achieve in the industry? I just want a career; it is such a hard industry to get a career in. I’m happy the way we are steadily growing and becoming a bigger act… I want to be around in five, ten years time.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years time? Touring the world playing out arenas or stadiums is the dream.
You must get a lot of female attention. Can that get annoying at all? No, funny enough I can handle that! It’s alright. It’s so lovely though, like I said before, you’ll get young girls that want a hug and a picture and then you’ll get their nans saying ‘I love you, can I get a picture’! It’s lovely!
What would be your advice for any student that wants to get some exposure in the music industry? Be as proactive as possible. I’d say get out there perform at any club you can, no matter how big or small the audience is. YouTube is a great avenue now to be seen by the masses, don’t be afraid to put stuff up on YouTube.
 Image sources: Gettyimages.com, Poole and Bournemouth, Zimbio